Addressing Gender Issues and HIV/AIDS through Formal Education Institutions in IndiaSome thoughts…Sandhya ChandrasekharanThe concept of gender emerges from the understanding that biological sex (male or female), is not the only factor influencing the formation of human identities as Men and Women. Various structures and institutions through the (unseen and unquestioned?) ideologies that operate within them create what is ‘commonly accepted’ as ‘Men’ and ‘Women’. This socially constructed identity is gender. It is about Femininities and Masculinities and the process of their creation in societies. For this reason, gender identities also lend themselves to analysis (and ideally, change) in relation to ideas of social justice and well-being.

The word gender has become a politically correct synonym for the study of women. Gender, however, does not refer to women, but to the manner in which male and female differences are socially constructed.Is Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) an extension of Environmental Education (EE) which has been in vogue since the 1970's? Without going into a detailed analysis, it may help to start from what exists and reflect on whether within formal education systems like that in India, EE has largely became nature appreciation and ‘do and don’t messages about the natural environment.

The United Nations-Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005-14), by giving prominence to ‘ESD’ has at one level encouraged a shift in focus from ‘natural environment’ to ‘sustainable development’ that encompasses a broader environment or surrounding shaped by ecology no doubt, but also social, economic, political and cultural realities.

Secondly, several consultative processes of educators and education policy makers at the international level, have tried to emphasise that ESD is not so much education about sustainable development (information being passed on), but education for sustainable development (facilitating certain thought, feeling and action). These serve as important starting points in this attempt to establish the link between ESD and addressing HIV/AIDS.

1) From EE to ESD: While the content area of 'traditional' environmental education has been topics on energy renewal, science and technology, nature studies, biodiversity etc. ESD is also about equity education in various realms including political and social life, intercultural understanding and gender.

2) Because ESD is education for SD, traditional examination-based classroom centred teaching-learning methodology that tests retention of information (ie: education about something) but not the affective or the capability-enhancing dimension of that information, need to be enlarged and broadened with teaching-learning spaces and processes that are both effective and capable of catering to the specific nature of content.

Central to both tasks, is the need to construct within educational institutions the ability to intervene in gendered roles, relationships and stereotypes that shape young men and women. Essentially, given the appropriateness of or learner-readiness for certain kinds of information at certain stages of physical and psychological maturity, gender-aware education can lay the foundation for more empowered and responsible behaviour in relation to sexuality in both young men and women at a later date. Given the prevalent 'South Asia pattern' of morbidity due to HIV/AIDS where entire families are affected normally through the male 'head' of the family, ESD provides an imperative to examine dominant gender socialisation and cultural norms on sexuality often reinforced or ignored within educational institutions. The dominant gender division of girls and boys (as two very different, rather than as two very similar groups with only different reproductive roles, which they may or may not take on) find expression even in schools’ every day routines in terms of delegation of tasks and roles and specific arrangements such as classroom seating and assembly formations.

The educational institution is often unaware of the processes by which it, along with other social institutions like the family and the media are engaged in socialising children into accepting and naturalizing iniquitous ‘gender roles’. The mass media works most commonly to strengthen the traditional social norms related to gender identity and gender values. The stereotyping in the portrayals of men and women, and the asymmetric roles that they are depicted in, reinforce the relative space accorded to men and women in society. Advertising is increasingly 'objectifying' the body (more often the female body and placing it under the 'male gaze') for the purpose of selling products. As a result, while women may take on new roles — as economic agents and social actors, the fundamental unequal relations between men and women remain unchanged.

Spaces for questioning the disempowering effect of these messages can be created within the formal curriculum and in so called extra-curricular ways in a manner suitable to different stages besides in certain overarching ways (eg: rethinking assembly formation).

Teaching social studies in a challenging manner would involve wanting children to learn to think independently, make well considered choices, and reflect on what goes on in their minds and around them. Understanding the importance of support for the educator, several non governmental organisations have taken up the cause. Avehi-Abacus is one such (http://www.pages.drexel.edu/~ams26/adoptaproject/avehi.html) that one school educator recommends (Seshadri, A (2004) A New Way of Thinking for Children: New Approaches to the Curriculum). The Abacus project developed materials that have been tried in the government school system and has helped influence overall curriculum modifications in Maharashtra. It is committed to empowerment through education and to using the potential of audio-visual media to facilitate rational thinking, social awareness and social change.

A toolkit called Sangati comprises six teaching-learning kits, each on a specific theme, two each for classes 5, 6, and 7. They consist of a teachers’ manual, and set of visual aids. The titles are:• Myself, my body, our needs• Our earth and the web of life• How societies developed• The way we live• Understanding change• Preparing for our future

The kit is not about subject matter alone which closely ties up with social studies but one that provides a new way of thinking and learning for children, of looking at and interpreting the world around them and themselves; of helping them see the links between everyday experience, and what they learn. The Teachers’ Manual contains detailed plans for the sessions to be conducted during the year, background and supplementary information, and skill building inputs for teachers. The methodology enables teachers to build a confidence in the children that they will be heard, their views are valuable, that there is space for differences and divergent opinions… a key element in more egalitarian gender socialisation. The structure of the class is built into each kit: there is a component of information dissemination, space for discussion and debate, and opportunity for individual exploration and learning. The kits have visual teaching aids such as posters, flip charts, picture cards.

The manual for class 6 on ‘The World We Live In’, deals with a wide range of issues including families, gender and stereotypes. The note to the teachers explains the reason for inclusion as deliberate and necessary. The presentation of the issue is such that it is as relevant as possible to the children’s reality and ensures that the discussions do not remain at a theoretical level, but actually draw on the experiences and opinions of the students. For instance, the story-cum-discussion based on the flip card ‘Maya’s Story’ is about a young girl Maya who tells her story about the male-dominated and autocratic family structure which does not allow her to make decisions about her life. A 16-year-old, she is unhappy about the fact that her father is deciding to get her married. Her mother gives her all the old arguments such as, ‘...put up with it, that is the way the world is and it is all for your good...’ her uncle tries to intervene on her behalf but he is not given any space. Maya thinks of how her father had loved her when she had been younger. She wonders if she could draw out that affection and talk to him about her feelings. The story ends there. Children are invited to imagine what happens when Maya steps out to talk to her father, and then through a discussion, look at gender-based norms in relation to marriage, right to education, economic independence, freedom of expression and in decision making, family support, societal response and so on.

For the slightly older child, adolescence, the crucial time of marked internal development and massive cultural indoctrination invites thoughtful interventions. Family, peers and society communicate in various ways strong social norms that can be disturbing or damaging, or simply difficult to cope with. It is a time of adjusting to physical changes and being authentic in ‘owning’ emotions and thoughts related to the body. Adults tend to be moralistic about adolescent expressions and experiences: ‘Don’t do this and don’t do that...’ or ‘Your clothes are provocative and that is why you are eve-teased’. Peer pressure that surrounds the period of growing up merits special concern. Schools have taken to addressing these concerns in meaningful ways. It could take the form of a workshop, or an open forum like a bulletin board. Some schools (especially if they have branches in a region) formalise a youth organisation for their older students, with local and regional chapters and a scheme of activities concurrent to the academic calendar. The Chinmaya Mission Schools Chinmaya Yuva Kendra (abbreviated as CHYK) is one such. Informed and sensitive guidance, in whatever form, is the key. This may also mean access to a competent social worker/ counsellor if need be.

For high school and college students the psycho-physical and socio-cultural elements of HIV/AIDS can be introduced more directly. The epidemiology of the HIV/AIDS in India, the societal response, and the related issues, can be discussed in relation to key trends — say, the higher rate of growth of infection in, and mortality, among Women, the Urban-Rural pattern of spread, and increasing prevalence of infection among teenagers and young adults. Audio-visual media can powerfully supplement the messages and engage young people.

One such attempt by CEE used a 17minute clipping from Anand Patwardhan’s documentary ‘Father, Son and Holy War’, and the music video ‘Babul’ by Shubha Mudgal to examine Masculinity and the Woman’s status within marriage, respectively. Besides students’ involvement as ‘subjects’ in the theme, they can be engaged as potential ‘agents of change’. Examining various interventions to address HIV/ AIDS serves to highlight their role as citizens in supporting the challenge of bringing about a more comprehensive socio-cultural response.

The concept of gender emerges from the understanding that biological sex (male or female), is not the only factor influencing the formation of human identities as Men and Women. Various structures and institutions through the (unseen and unquestioned?) ideologies that operate within them create what is ‘commonly accepted’ as ‘Men’ and ‘Women’. This socially constructed identity is gender. It is about Femininities and Masculinities and the process of their creation in societies. For this reason, gender identities also lend themselves to analysis (and ideally, change) in relation to ideas of social justice and well-being.

The word gender has become a politically correct synonym for the study of women. Gender, however, does not refer to women, but to the manner in which male and female differences are socially constructed.

Education for Change is the ENVIS publication of the Centre for Environment Education, India. EfC seeks to share views and experiences of education for sustainability.
EfC is supported by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, under its ENVIS programme.(http://www.envis.nic.in/)